Electric railway



N0. 606,990. Patented July 5, |898. l. C. HENRY.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

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No. 606,990. Patented July 5, |898. J. C. HENRY.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

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No. 606,990. Patented my 5, |898. 1. c..HENRY.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

(Application filed Apr. ds, 1898.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

' tions of two-motor car equipments.

Farrar Ormel-e@ JOHN O. HENRY, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

ELECTREC SPECIFIIICATION forming part of Letters RAE LWAY.

Patent No., 606,990, dated July 5, 1898.

Application filed April 18, 1898. Serial No. 677,957. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l', JOHN O. HENRY, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Denver, county of Arapahoe, State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in electric railways, and particularly to improvements in the controlling devices and connec- Such improvements are directed especially to the avoidance of violent changes in current strength or mechanical strain and to the prevention of violent and destructive arcing in the operation of making the necessary changes in the electrical connections. For this purpose l provide means whereby one of the armatures may be substantially relieved of current at or just before the time at which its circuit is to be broken in order to throw it from series to parallel connection; and I also provide the controller which effects such changes in the connections with improved arcrupturing devices for quickly rupturing any arcs that may be formed therein.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figures 1 to 2O are diagrams representing difterent conditions of the circuit connections established by the controlling devices, as hereinafter described. Fig. 21 is a diagrammatic development of the controller, showing its connections with the motors and otherparts of the car equipment. Fig. 22 is an elevation of the controller, and Fig. 23 is a view at right angles to Fig. 22.

ln Figs. 1 to 21, A and A represent the two armatures of a two-motor car equipment, and F F the two field-magnets thereof. The controller O is provided with movable contacts 21 to 56 and fixed contacts G1 to 75, whereby the connections of the armatures and fieldmagnets of the motors with one another and with line connection t, ground connection G, and resistances r fr r2 r3 r4 are varied, as hereinafter described. The dotted lines 1 to 2O indicate lines of contact of the fixed and. movable controller-contacts corresponding to the similarly-numbered Figs. 1 to 2O and to the numbers marked at the left of said figures.

The system of control to which my inven- 'Fig 22.

tion is preferably applied contemplates the regulation of the motors in such manner that they may act either to propel the car by energy derived from the lineor may act to retard the car by delivering energy either to the line or to closed brake-circuits. The controller, as usual, comprises a series of insulated' contacts mounted on a rotatable shaft, (shown at c in Figs. 22 and 23,) having a handle c', whereby it maybe operated. The line marked O in Fig. 21 corresponds to the open position ot' the controller, and the latter being cylindrical it will be understood that the position O is contiguous to position 1 on the one hand and to position 2O on the other, the controller being turned from position 1 through the successive positions 1 2 3, dro. ,to 14 in accelerating the car, and if the car is to be retarded the controller `being then turned back through position 13 12, &c., to O and continuing on through positions v2O 19, dac., to position 15, which is the final braking position.

The controller should not therefore be turned from position 14 to position 15,0r vice versa,directly, but only by passing through all the intermediate positions,

and a suitable stop may be provided limiting the rotation of the controller at the point marked 0c, such a stop being indicated at d in Starting then at the open-circuit position shown at O in Fig. 21, it will be seen that in this position all the armature and held-magnet circuits are broken. Moving the controller to position 1, the armature-circuits are closed in series between line and ground and the field-magnets are also in series. The circuits pass from line connection t through main switch m, fuses f, through three branches-namely, the armature-circuit SO, the held-magnet circuit S1, and a special circuit S2, leading to the arc-rupturing device hereinafter described. The armature-circuit in this position may be traced as follows: from line connection t', wire 80, contact 62, resistance r, contacts 63 25, connection 90, contacts 29 G11, armature A, contacts 65 32, connection 11-1, contacts 35 66, armature A' to contact G7, which is connected to ground at G. The held-magnet' circuit passes from the line connection t through wire S1 and reversing-switch S to fixed contact 73, thence through cylinder-contact 51, connection 115, contacts 72, through field- IOO ' ing-switch o magnets F li" in series to contact 7l, reversl to contacts '70 115, and thence through connection 108 to the `grounding contact 87. A shunt connection also leads around magnet F as follows: from the junction-point j between the two magnets to Vresistance rt,

thence to contacts 7l- 52 and connection 110 to conta ct The shunt-circuit through resistance r1 permits an excess of current to pass through held-magnet if", and thus produces an exceedingly strong lield in that motor. At the same time the resistance o is included in the armature-cireuit, and under these conditions thc minimum accelerating effect will be produced, thus giving an easy start. Position 2 short-circuits resistance r by contacts S25, connected by connection 110, and the next change to position $3 breaks the shunt around magnet l?. rlhe steps to positions l, 5, and (5 then successively insert resistances ri", yr?, and fr ,in the field-magnet circuit by the operation ot contacts fi-5 112 :39, connected to grounding contact 137 by connections 10S 100 101. The field-magnets are now weakened by the resistance in circuit therewith, so as to produce the maxim um acceleration that can be obtained with a series connection of the armatures. To enable the armatures to then be changed to parallel connection without undue sparking or violent changes of current or electromotive force, l proceed as follows: A shunt-circuit is closed around one ofthe armatures,thisshuntcircuit being of sufficient conductivity to substantially divert the liue'current from the armature,but not to cause short-ci rcuitiug of the armature. The resistance which it is necessary to insert in the shunt-circuit in order to el'lect this object depends on the conditions oi' speed, load, line, and counter electrcrnotive torce. Assuming a certain average or probable Value for these factors, it will appear that the resistance of the shunt-circuit should be such that an electromotive force equal to the counter electr-emotive lorce of the armature will. produce a current through this resistance suficient to supply all of the current neededL by the other armature from the propulsion ol the ear under the given conditions of load. Un der these circumstances there will be little or no current through the shunted armature, for the reason that its own counter electromotive force is equal to the electromotive force at its terminals, duc to the V[low of current through the shunt, so that there will be neither a proL peiling-current through the armature from the line, such as would be caused by an excess ot the impressed electromotive l'oree over the counter electr-emotive force, nor a shortcircuitingretarding-current, such as would be due to an excess of theccunter electr-emotive force over the impressed electromotive force. This shunt-eircuit is brought into operation in position (see Figs. 7 and 21) by contacts 20 52, connected by connection 02, engaging with. iixed contacts 03 G5, the shunt-circuit leading from contact 02,1fesistaneer, contacts G3 2G, connection 02, and contacts 32 05 to armattire-contact. rlhe resistancer isol sut'- eient magnitude to produce practically complete cessation ot current in armature rit nnder the conditions which will usually exist when this change is to be ellfected. rlhe ein cuit is still complete through armature 111/, through contacts 02 E22, and connections 1lb 00 or connection 110". At the same time a shunt may be closed around held-magnet l;-` by contacts it9 53, connected by connection 101, engaging with fixed contacts T1 Til-,whereby a shunt around said magnet l?, `including the resistance y", closed, as betere, the re sistance r1' being sul'licient to prevent decnergization oi' the iield-nmguet l?, but allowing an extra amount of current to pass to lieldmagnet li", thus f-supcrenorgizing same and enabling` the correspoinling motor to bear the eXtra load thrown thereon at this time, The next step to position S breaks the connection to armature A through contacts 02 2i?, and armature fr is thus lel't in a circuit between line and ground, includiiig resistance r, indicated in ltig. t5. ln position 0 this resistance is removed from the circuit, conmnetion being made directly to armature tlf by contaets G2 2S, connection 023, and contacts 00. During these positions ES and 0 the resistzmces 7'/ yr2 rf are short-circuited from the lieldmagnet circuit by contacts-1U 37 and eonnection 100.

Position 10 clos a connection from line through resistance fr, con tact-s 03 iii', connection 071-, and. contacts il() t-l to armature thus putting armature A in multiple with ai mature A, but with sullicient resistance in its circuit to bring it gradually into action. The shunt around lieldmagnet l? is now broken, as indicated in Figs. l0 and 2l. losition 11 makes a direct connection from lino to armature t through contacts 01 2l., con nection 95, and contacts (il, thus putting the armatures in full multiple connection. Positions 12, 153, and 1t then successively insert resistanccs r3 r2 r in the lieldmagnet circuit by the (meration ol." contac s -fli 10, connected to grounding contact 257 by connections 102 103. liosition il is thus the position for maximum speed, and, as above stated, it is not intended that the controller shall be turned farther in this direction. lVhen less acceleration or actual retardation is desired, the controller is turned bach through the various positions 153 12, dre., till pesiaition 0 reached, and then ilf further retardation is desired it is turned onto the b raking posi tions 2O to 15. losition 20 puts armature il on a closed circuit through contacts lllconnection 07, contacts t 02,2, resistance r, contacts G2 El, connection 0U, and contacts 3l- (35, the iieldnnagnet circuit being still maintained, asbcl'ore, and incltuling themamum resistance. This connection gir a weak braking action, which then increased in the succeedingpositions by ilrst putting armature A on shunt-circuit through contacts 3i z t and IOO IIC

connection 11S and then short-circuiting armature A by contacts 36 38 and connection 99 and short-circuiting the resistances from the field-magnet circuit by the operation of contacts 3S 41 44 47 and connections 107 106 105. I also provide contacts 53 55 56 on the controller-cylinder, Which engage with fixed contact 75 to close a connection from line through the shunt-circuit 82, including a solenoid S for rupturing the arcs formed at the contact of the controllers these said contacts 53 55 56 being arranged as indicated, so as to bring this blow-out solenoid into operation at the times when the circuit of one or both of the armatures is interrupted. An additional function of this shunt-circuit 82 is to furnish a path for the high-tension induced discharges from the field-magnets When the line connection is interrupted, and such shunt-circuit is therefore preferably also maintained during the braking positions 20 to 15.

The arrangement of the arc-rupturingsolenoid S is indicated in Figs. 22 and 23, it being preferably a vertical spool of Wire, which is elongated sufficiently to be in proximity to the several sets of contacts of the controller. In said figures, y represents insulating and refractory arc-deflectin g plates. By solenoid it will be understood that I mean a spool or coil of wire having suitable connections to the energizing-circuit, but being Without any iron core or frame.

The method or means l have described for killing or nullifying the current in the armature before itis shifted from series to parallel connection has the advantage that it is not necessary to Wait until the field-magnet is more or less completely denergized before making such change of connection from series to parallel, and, in fact, it is not necessary to denergize the held-magnet at all. This principle of operation is applicable to two-motor car equipments of any type independently of the relative connection of the field-magnets and armatures, and therefore although l have here shown it in connection with a system wherein the field-magnets and armatures are in separate circuits l do not desire it to be considered as limited thereto.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The method of changing the armatures of a two-motor car equipment from series to parallel connection which consists in closing a shunt around one of the armatures of such resistance as to substantially divert the linecurrent from the armature Without the production of a short-circuiting current through the armature.

2. The method of changing the armatures of a two-motor car equipment from series to parallel connection which consists in closing a shunt around one of the armatures, of such resistance that the electromotive force from the line which is sufficient to overcome the counter electromotive force of such armature, will produce through such resistance the current required to operate the other armature, then breaking the circuit of the shunted armature and closing a connection thereto in parallel with the other armature.

3. The combination With the armatures and held-magnets of a two-motor car equipment, of controlling devices and a shunt circuit closed around the armature of one of the motors by the operation of the controlling devices, said shunt-circuit including a resistance such as to permit the passage therethrough from the line, under an electromotive force substantially equal to the counter electromotive force of such armature, of the current required to operate the other motor, and the said controlling devices operating after the closure of such shunt, to break the series connection of the shunted armature, and then close a parallel connection to same.

4. The method of changing the electromotive devices of a t\vomotor car equipment from series to parallel connection Which consists in closing a shunt around one of the electromotive devices, of such resistance that the electromotive force from the line which is sufficient to overcome the counter electromotive force of such electromotive device, Will produce through such resistance the current required to operate the other electromotive device, then breaking the circuit of the shunted electromotive device and closing a connection thereto in parallel with the other electromotive device.

5. The combination with the electromotive devices of a two-motor car equipment, of controlling devices and a shunt-circuit closed thereby around one of the electromotive devices-including a resistance such as to divert the line-current from the shunted electromotive device and to prevent the passage of a short-circuiting current through same from the shu nted electromotive device, and the said controlling devices operating after the closure of such shunt-circuit, to break the series connection of the shunted electromotive device and close a parallel connection for same.

6. The combination with the electromotive devices of a two-motor car equipment, of con trolling devices and a shunt-circuit closed thereby around one of the electromotive devices including a resistance such as to divert the line-current from the shunted electromotive device and to prevent the passage of a short-circuiting current through same from the shunted electromotive device, and the said controlling devices operating after the closure of such shunt-circuit, to'break the series connection of the shunted electromotive de vice and close a parallel connection for same, including a resistance, and then to short-circuit such resistance.

JOHN C. HENRY,

Witnesses: n

MARY HAMPTON LLOYD, JorrN S. GrBoNs.

IOO

IIO 

